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Raii and Whitney Smith were a vocal duo from Season 11 of America's Got Talent. They were eliminated in the Judge Cuts.

Background[]

RAII and Whitney Keaton AKA "The Smiths" are not your typical recording artists. Although many young entertainers write, perform and sing; very few have had the opportunity to do so while sharing some of the world’s biggest stages with some of the most renowned stars…and their significant other.

That is the case of RAII and Whitney Keaton, who married in August of 2010 in RAII’s hometown of Chicago. Having met several years earlier, the two crossed paths during RAII’s years as an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois. Whitney, an Urbana-Champaign native, met RAII when he joined her as a member of a local gospel music ensemble. They would spend the next five years traveling, performing, writing and arranging music together. Eventually, the pair noticed that their personal, professional and romantic interests had a significant overlap.

In 2010, weeks leading up to RAII & Whitney becoming Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Whitney joined RAII in supporting Estelle. That marked their first professional, international job together as supporting vocalists. Beginning in 2012, RAII joined Whitney Keaton as a member of the Alicia Keys band. Together, the husband and wife team joined Alicia as her sole supporting vocalists. In the process of their touring, each is finding time to work on their respective solo careers. RAII & Whitney released their debut single "No Worries (Step Clap)" and the duo performs the song during their live shows. They are currently writing and recording original music for various upcoming projects and are excited to share their music with the world. [1]

"RAII" stands for "Rhythm. Alternative. Instrumental. Inspirational." [2]

Audition[]

Raii and Whitney Smith's audition in Episode 1105 consisted of singing Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "You’re All I Need to Get By" together. Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Simon Cowell all voted "Yes," sending the duo to the Judge Cuts.

Judge Cuts[]

Raii and Whitney Smith's Judge Cuts performance in Episode 1107 consisted of singing Martin Gaye's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" together. The duo's performance was not strong enough for the judges to send it to the Quarterfinals, eliminating it from the competition.

External Links[]


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